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Artistic Hair-Cutting 

AND 

RELATED BRANCHES 


A Text-Book for Professionals 

AND 

A Student's Guide 


By 

FREDERICK KORF 

n 


Volume I 

BLUE BOOK SERIES OF 
HAIR and BEAUTY CULTURE 


Published by 

WILFRED ACADEMY OF 
HAIR and BEAUTY CULTURE 

New York 








Copyright 1923 
by 

Wilfred Academy of Hair and Beauty Culture 
All Rights Reserved. 



AUG -7 1923 

©C1A711491 

'HO l 



\3 - *3 


■ D K 2 ^j /f r 

CONTENTS. 


r 

r 

h 


Page 

Chapter 1— SPLIT HAIR AND ITS REMEDY 7 

Split hair (Trichoptilosis)—Is clipping 
or singeing preferable ?— Does clipping 
and singeing benefit the growth of the 
hair? 

Chapter 2—CLIPPING.11 

Holding and handling of scissors—Prac¬ 
tice-clipping on practice-strand—Divid¬ 
ing the hair in strands—Practicing on a 
head of hair. 


Chapter 3— -SINGEING 


19 


Chapter 4— THINNING .23 

Chapter 5— FRENCH CLIPPING .28 

Chapter 6— HAIR-CUTTING ...... 30 

Trimming—Tapering the hair for side 
part—Hair-cut for center part—Trimming 
the hair worn combed back. 

Chapter 7— BOBBING THE HAIR ... 43 

The horizontal clubbed bob—The horizontal 
tapered bob—The oval clubbed bob—The 
oval tapered bob—The shingle bob—The 
slanted bob. 

Chapter 8^CUTTING BANGS AND FRINGES 54 

Chapter 9— CHILDREN’S HAIR-CUTTING . 56 

Hair-cutting for infants—Hair-cutting to 
preserve the curliness—Buster Brown 
hair-cut—Very short bob for boys—Hair¬ 
cut with side bangs for 'Oung girls— 

Girls’ center part-Boys’ Military hair-cut. 





5 


FOREWORD 


This little book, which is based upon many years 
of practical experience in the art of hairdressing and 
haircutting, fills a much needed want. 

While written chiefly to serve as a text and reference 
book for the ever increasing student body and prac¬ 
titioners of the Wilfred System of Hair and Beauty 
Culture, it is issued with the hope that it will be 
equally welcomed by all those who believe in self 
improvement and the betterment and dignity of our 
profession. 

Believing that true-to-life illustrations will convey 
better than printed words the technique of this work, 
a large part of the book has been given over to them, 
while the text is presented briefly and in the plain 
language of teacher to student. 

F. K. 


New York. 1923. 






CHAPTER I. 


SPLIT HAIR AND ITS REMEDY 


Split hair (Trichoptilosis). —The splitting of the 
hairshaft into two or more forklike fibres, usually at 
the end, can hardly be called a disease of the hair, yet 
this condition, described in medical terms as Trichop¬ 
tilosis, is a very common occurrence, particularly in 
women, almost 90% of whom are affected by this 
form of hair trouble. While a number of theories 
have been advanced as to the cause of the splitting of 
the hair, a very common one being bacterial or para¬ 
sitic infection, it is today perhaps generally conceded 
to be caused chiefly by an excessive dryness of the 
hair-ends. 

External injuries to the hairshaft, caused by broken 
combs and poor brushes, are frequently to blame, 
while neglect or the wrong care or abuse of the hair 
often causes it to split. Daily wetting the hair with 
water, without drying it at once, if continued for any 
length of time is sure to produce this condition. 
Shampoos done with strong alkaline soaps aid in re¬ 
moving all natural oil, and lead to this trouble, unless 
the natural lubrication so removed is replaced by a 
little oil or brilliantine after washing the hair. 


7 


8 


SPLIT HAIR AND ITS REMEDY 


Insufficient brushing may be cited as another cause 
ot split hair. Regular brushing, with a well pene¬ 
trating hair-brush should be done daily in order to 
distribute the sebum, which is the natural lubricant 
supplied by the sebaceous glands, through the hair 
and the hair-ends. Where proper care is given after 
washing the hair, and particularly when the ends are 
not left to become dry and brittle, the splitting of the 
hair will often be very much minimized or entirely 
prevented. Illustration No. 1 shows: A, a Hair with 
a healthy point; B, a split hair; C. a hair on which 
the point has been cut. 




Illus. No. 1 


\\ here the hair is split the removal of the split 
ends either by clipping or singeing is the first re¬ 
quirement. Badly split hair will make the entire head 
of hair look dull and lifeless, and it not infrequently 
gives one the impression of untidiness if indeed the 
grayish appearance of the split hairs does not cause 
one to think of nits. Every person should have the 
hair carefully inspected at intervals and if split ends 
are found they should have it clipped or singed. Any 







SPLTT HAIR AND ITS REMEDY 


9 


advice given to your customers as to preventive 
measures will be appreciated and often presents an 
opportunity for the sale of a brush, or of some toilet 
accessory. 


Is clipping or singeing preferable? —The question 
is often asked as to whether clipping or singeing is 
preferable. Both are equally good if efficiently done. 
Perhaps the singeing is a little more in favor. Al¬ 
though different theories have at times been advanced 
for clipping and singeing yet both are really for the 
same purpose, namely to remove the split hair ends. 
In England it is still a fairly general practice to 
advise clipping and singeing to follow each other at 
one sitting. The claim is made that singeing seals 
the cut hair, just as the branch of a tree or plant 
is sealed after it has been pruned, to prevent the 
escape of the nutrient fluid. There is, however, a 
great difference between a plant and the hairshaft. 
The study of the anatomy of the hair discloses to 
us that there is no circulating fluid within the hair- 
shaft. All life is given to the hair from the papilla 
at the time the hair is being developed. Any secre¬ 
tions found between the cells of the hairshaft are 
those supplied by the sebaceous glands for the pur¬ 
pose of keeping the hair lustrous, glossy and pliable. 
Therefore, one can hardly conscientiously recommend 
both clipping and singeing at one sitting, since either 
will serve the same purpose as the other. As to the 
choice of either clipping or singeing, this may be 
said. Singeing is best done previous to shampooing, 
so that the burnt ends as well as the unpleasant odor 
of burnt hair may thereby be removed. Clipping on 



10 


SPLIT HAIR AND ITS REMEDY 


the other hand, is most successfully done immediately 
after the hair has been shampooed. Oil and dirt will 
not let the little ends as readily protrude from a strand 
of hair, while after a shampoo practically every end 
will appear on the surface of the hair-strand. 


Does clipping and singeing benefit the growth of 

the hair? —There are a number of hairdressers and 
other authorities who hold the opinion that clipping 
and singeing the hair, apart from removing unsightly 
split ends, has a beneficial influence on the growth 
of the hair. They advise a monthly clipping for 
the purpose of strengthening the hair growth, even 
if no split ends are found. A claim is easier made 
than proved by scientific tests, and of course it is 
equally difficult to contradict any such theory with¬ 
out scientific proof. However, it is very doubtful, 
to say the least, whether clipping or singeing of the 
hair-ends has a beneficial, or as a matter of fact any 
effect whatever on the growth of the hair. It is 
difficult to understand how by merely cutting the hair- 
ends, the papilla of the hair (the hair producing ap¬ 
paratus) could be affected sufficiently to change its 
normal activity. There is danger in carrying this 
practice to extremes since it will show its effect on 
the length of the customer’s hair, which may be 
gradually shortened to such an extent that she will 
refrain from visiting your establishment again. As 
to the frequency of clipping and singeing to be 
recommended, this will depend largely on the indi¬ 
vidual case. It should be recommended whenever 
broken or split hairs become apparent. If the work 
is done carefully and systematically even in bad cases 
it need not be repeated for at least two months. 



CHAPTER II. 


CLIPPING 


To become proficient in this branch of the work, 
as in all hair-cutting, we must first learn the correct 
handling of the scissors. Quite a little practice is 
required before the correct holding and cutting mo¬ 
tions are accomplished in a quick and professional 
manner. 

The kind used should be a pair of professional hair¬ 
cutting scissors as shown in illustration No. 2, and 
should be used for no other purpose than for cutting 
hair. They should be about six or seven inches long 
and should work very loosely in the joints, so that 
the two blades will move with the least pressure. 



Ulus. No. 2 


Holding and handling of scissors. — Pick up the 
hair-cutting scissors from the table with your right 
hand and insert the first joint of the ring finger into 
the ring of the scissors which has the little hook at- 


11 





12 


CLIPPING 


tached. The little finger rests upon this hook, while 
the other two fingers lie upon the handle of the scis¬ 
sors. The tip of the thumb is inserted into the other 
ring of the scissors. Only the first joint of the ring 
finger should pass through the ring of the scissors, 
and only the very tip of the thumb should pass 
through the other ring. Study the position from il¬ 
lustration No. 3. 



The operator should practice picking up the scis¬ 
sors without the help of the left hand, and study the 
correct holding of them until she becomes proficient 
in their use. 

Again study illustration No. 3; here you see the 
scissors opened. Stand in front of a mirror, pick up 
your scissors properly; now open the hand. If the 
reflection of your hand and scissors is the same as 
shown in illustration No. 3, you are holding your 
scissors correctly. Now practice slowly the operation 
of opening and closing, stretching the arm forward. 
The opening and closing of the scissors should be 
lone with the thumb only, while the rest of the 






CLIPPING 


13 


hand and fingers remain stationary. Only the blade 
marked A on illustration No. 3 should move toward \ 
or away from the blade marked B. Blade B should 
remain in a perfectly horizontal position while opening 
and closing the scissors. Practice conscientiously the 
opening and closing process, slowly at first, gradually 
increasing in speed until the cutting movements are 
accomplished easily and rapidly with an even stroke, 
and until your fingers remain in the proper position 
and the rapid opening and closing movements are 
done mechanically. As the success in executing all 
types of haircuts depends to a large extent upon the 
correct method of holding and handling the scissors, 
the operator should strive to perfect herself in their 
skillful use, and should not for a moment permit a 
bad habit to be formed. 


Practical clipping on practice strand. -Secure a malle¬ 
able block and pin to it a practice strand of hair. 
Divide off a small section of the hair; comb it smooth 
and twist it into a tight strand and hold this strand 
near the end between the thumb and forefinger of 
your left hand. Take the scissors in the hollow of 
your hand as shown in illustration No. 4. With the 
first and second finger of the hand in which the scis¬ 
sors are held, rub lightly upward on the strand, thereby 
making the maximum number of ends expose them¬ 
selves. Illustration No. 4 shows this plainly. 

In the next operation, shown in illustration No. 5, 
all ends'thus brought to the surface of the strand are 
to be clipped in the following manner. Let your thumb 
take its proper place in the scissors and open them. 
Lay the scissors flat upon the strand of hair near the 



14 


CLIPPING 




Illue. No. 5 

















CLIPPING 


15 


top. Be careful to let the point of the scissors extend 
beyond the strand, as otherwise you are liable to cut 
into the long hair with the points. The exposed hair 
ends are now clipped off. The scissors should always 
remain lying flat upon the strand; the ends from the 
sides and from underneath the strand are brought 
between the blades of the scissors by rolling the strand 
to and fro between the thumb and forefinger of the 
left hand. Gradually move downward with the scissors 
to the very ends of the strand, at the same time keep 
clipping rapidly, rolling the hair as explained. Practice 
this on strand after strand without laying the scissors 
down. This should be done until you are able to ac¬ 
complish the task easily and efficiently. Let the scis¬ 
sors drop into the hollow of the hand while treating 
the remaining strands, as shown in figure No. 4. 


Dividing the hair into strands. — Before practicing 
clipping on a life model, study illustration No. 6. 
The squares shown represent the sections of hair and 
the approximate space each strand of hair occupies 
upon the scalp. The numbers of the squares are for 
the purpose of showing the rotation in which the 
strands should be taken up and clipped. It is ap¬ 
parent from the illustration that one half of the hair 
from the forehead to a position behind the ear is di¬ 
vided into about 12 sections, making about 35 to 45 
strands all over the head. This of course varies ac¬ 
cording to the thickness of the hair. Sections about 
one inch square are the average, but the smaller the 
section of hair taken, the more thorough the work. 
The back hair is similarly divided into sections, as 
shown for the front and side hair. This should be 
begun on the crown and worked downward. 



16 


CLIPPING 



A model should now be provided and after cover¬ 
ing her dress with an apron the hair should be taken 
down and brushed free from all snarls. It should 
be parted in the center and is then ready for clipping. 

Practicing on a head of hair. —Divide off the section 

of hair marked 1 in illustration No. 6 on one side of 
the part in the manner as demonstrated in illustration 
No. 7. In this particular illustration the work is shown 
in a somewhat developed stage. Some of the strands 
have been treated, but it illustrates clearly the way 
the hair should be divided. The strand here being 
clipped is section 6 of illustration No. 6; the five 
strands previously clipped are laid across the head 





CLIPPING 


17 



Illus. No. 7 


and out of the way. Take particular notice that both 
comb and scissors are held in the right hand while 
dividing the strands. Do not get into the habit of 
laying down your scissors each time you want to take 
up another strand of hair, as it is a waste of time and 
certainly has a very unprofessional look. 

The section so taken up is now rolled up and the 
ends made to expose themselves by rubbing upward 
on the strand. They are then clipped as shown pre¬ 
viously. Illustration No. 8 shows the work in pro¬ 
gress on the head. Now come down to the very end 
of the strand, take it between thumb and first finger 
and trim off as shown in illustration No. 9. The 
same illustration again shows what to do with the 
strands that have been clipped; they are simply laid 











18 


CLIPPING 



Illus. No. 8 

across the head, so as to have a clear space to treat 
the next sections. One side is finished in this way, 
then the other side and last the back of the head. 



Illus. No. 9 


When doing the back hair begin on the crown of the 
head, working across from side to side down to the 
neck. The entire operation should be practiced re¬ 
peatedly before trusting yourself upon a customer. 










CHAPTER III 


SINGEING 

Singeing differs from clipping only in that instead 
of cutting off the split ends they are singed, or burnt 
off. This is generally done by means of wax tapers. 
The best quality of tapers only should be used as 
cheaper ones often drip or become sticky and soft in 
warm weather or from the warmth of the hand. The 
dividing, rolling and other operations are the same 
as for clipping. 

At first, practice on a strand of hair, and only try 
to work on the head after you are sure of yourself. 
Comb each strand out very smoothly and roll it up 
firmly so that none of the long hairs are loose, as 
otherwise you are liable to burn them off. 

Many experienced operators begin by dividing the 
entire hair into small sections and then rolling each 
one up. They then take the strands one after an¬ 
other, give a few more twists to tighten them up if 
they should have become unrolled too much, and 
singe them without laying the wax-taper out of their 
hand. However, a safer and more thorough plan, and 


19 


20 


SINGEING 


one that takes very little more time, is to begin and 
finish each strand separately when ready for it. 

After the hair is brushed and combed free of snarls, 
the wax taper is lit and inserted into a spool, as 
shown in illustration No. 10. The use of a spool for 



holding a taper is safe, practical and economical. The 
taper will not have to be extinguished and relit after 
finishing each strand, will not roll off the shelf or 
table, will burn in the most economical way on 
account of being in a perpendicular position, and is 
readily picked up for use. Take up a strand of hair, 
comb it smooth, roll it up firmly and cause the maxi¬ 
mum amount of ends to expose themselves by lightly 
rubbing upward on the strand with the forefinger and 
middlefinger. Full explanation and illustration of this 













SINGEING 


21 



Illus. No. 11 

operation were given under “Clipping” on pages 13 and 
14, which may again be referred to. The strand is now 
held near the end and rolled to and fro between the 
thumb and forefinger while the flame of the wax 
taper is applied to the strand by moving it quickly 
back and forth along the strand. Begin on the part 



Illus. No. 12 




22 SINGEING 

nearest to the scalp and gradually move the taper 
down to the ends of the strand. Study illustration 
No. 11 carefully. The very ends of the strand are 
now singed by letting the part to be singed off pro¬ 
trude between the thumb and forefinger of the left 
hand so as to intercept the flame. (Illustration No. 
12.) Each strand is treated in this manner, thereby 
bringing the whole operation to a conclusion. 




CHAPTER IV 


THINNING 

Perhaps nobody but the victims of unskilled and 
untrained operators can really appreciate the great 
discomfort resulting from such a simple operation as 
the thinning of the hair, if it is incorrectly done. The 
reasons for thinning the hair are many. Often a too 
abundant and heavy head of hair may be the cause 
of head-aches, and consequent unnecessary suffering. 
A very heavy head of hair does not always adapt itself 
readily to the execution of the most desired coiffure 
and changing styles, as does a more moderately dense 
hirsuitic growth. 

Our customers come to us for advice and help, 
and if fortunate enough to seek this help from those 
“who know how,” they wdl have a “load taken off 
their head” without experiencing any unpleasant an¬ 
noyances. But if they should fall into the hands of 
those who have not learned their profession thor¬ 
oughly, a new trouble will only take the place of the 
former. Their process of thinning is generally a very 
simple one; one or more strands of hair is generally 
cut clear off the scalp, leaving one or more cropped 
spots. Apart from the unsightly appearance this 
causes, the real trouble begins as the hair grows 
longer. The stubby ends of the growing hair will 
push themselves through the longer hair and so spoil 
the best coiffure. The cropped hair will be unruly 


23 


24 


THINNING 


and will remain so for some time, even if left to grow 
in again, because of the lack of taper in the cut strands. 

After the hair has been thoroughly brushed and 
combed, a center-part is drawn on the crown of the 
head. Beginning at the crown of the head a small 



strand of hair, about one inch square, is neatly sep¬ 
arated and combed straight up from the scalp. It is 
firmly held near the ends between the thumb and 
forefinger of the left hand . With the fine-toothed 
part of the comb the strand is then back-combed 
slowly. This is done in the following way: 

Stretch the strand tightly away from the head by 
holding it near the ends; insert into it the fine teeth 
of a comb about two inches above the scalp, as shown 
in illustration No. 13. Now slowly push the comb 









THINNING 


25 


down toward the scalp. (Illustration No. 14.) Take 
the comb out and repeat the same motion on the same 
place, near the scalp. With each stroke of the comb 
the hair not held between the thumb and forefinger 
is pulled downward till at last all the hair not so held 
is lying in a seemingly very tangled condition under¬ 
neath the comb. Illustration No. 14 shows the strand 
properly back-combed. The strand of hair still held 



amount you can naturally vary according to the 
amount of hair you held firmly between your fingers 
while back-combing the strand. Illustration No. 15 
shows the correct way of cutting the hair. The strand 
is placed firmly between the teeth of the comb and 
the comb pressed firmly down upon the back-combed 
hair. The strand to be cut is still firmly held in 



26 


THINNING 



Illus. No. 15 


the left hand. The scissors are then laid upon the 
comb and the strand cut close over the comb. Strand 
after strand is treated in the same way, confining the 
thinning as much as possible to the crown and back 
portions of the head. If thinning is to be done on 
the front and side hair, consideration must be taken 
as to the style of wearing the hair. For instance, if 
a part is worn it would be better to divide a section 
of hair on each side of the part and refrain from 
thinning this out. 

Illustration No. 16 shows the entire thinning pro¬ 
cess completed and the method of untangling the hair. 











THINNING 


27 



This is a very much easier matter than it appears, 
if the back-combing was done rightly and carefully, 
otherwise it may be a difficult and unpleasant task for 
customer and operator alike. If the back-combing 
was done correctly the hair will become untangled by 
some very slight pulls with the finger tips on the 
center portion of each back-combed strand. (See 
illustration No. 16.) Each strand is in this way treated 
with the finger tips and is then brushed and combed 
clear of snarls. This method of thinning the hair 
will at no place show stubby and unruly hair, since 
the short hairs are evenly distributed among the 
longer hairs. 

Practice this work first on a strand of hair, and 
thereafter perform the complete operation at least 
a number of times before attempting to do this work 
upon a customer. 



CHAPTER V 

FRENCH CLIPPING 

After severe cases of hair loss different authorities 
recommended the frequent cutting of the new hair 
when it begins to appear all over the scalp, as a means 
of strengthening it. We shall not attempt to dis¬ 
cuss the merits of this theory but shall confine our¬ 
selves to the actual method of doing this work effec¬ 
tively upon the scalp. The hair to be thus cut is 
generally an inch or less in length and is distributed 
over the scalp among the longer hairs. 



Divide the hair by a center-part and back-comb it 
on both sides of the part with the fine teeth of the 
comb, holding the flat part of the hand upon the hair 
while doing so. This back-combing should be care¬ 
fully practiced as it is to be done so that none of 
28 





FRENCH CLIPPING 


29 


the long hairs are actually back-combed. It is for 
the sole purpose of separating the short hairs from 
among the longer hairs. (See illustration No. 17.) 

After the short hairs are thus made to expose 
themselves within the part, they are carefully cut off 
as close as possible to the scalp. The comb is in¬ 
serted on one side of the part and the flat of the hand 
is laid on the other side to keep the long hairs well 
separated from the short hairs while cutting. (See 



illustration No. 18.) A part is then drawn one-half 
to three-quarters of an inch lower and the hairs here 
again separated and treated as explained. The en¬ 
tire head is covered in the same manner. Practice 
on a model before doing this work on your customer. 









CHAPTER VI 


HAIRCUTTING 

in our description of Haircutting we shall of course 
not enter into the discussion of haircutting of the 
barber type. It is far from our intention to encroach 
upon the barber trade. The same, however, may not 
be said of the barber, who has in the last few years 
seriously solicited the branch of haircutting rightfully 
belonging to the hairdresser. Perhaps the blame for 
this encroachment upon our work rests a little with 
ourselves. A large number of Hairdressing and 
Beauty shops simply do not do any haircutting for 
the want of someone who can do this work. Perhaps 
an even larger number do haircutting, but do it poorls. 
Of course there are also a good many shops which 
make haircutting a specialty and do very artistic 
work in this line. However, the inefficiency of a com¬ 
paratively large number of our profession in this par¬ 
ticular branch has no doubt been a help to the barbers 
in securing women’s trade. 

A barber shop is a man’s shop and should concern 
itself with those tonsorial treatments demanded by 
men. A hairdressing establishment should concern 
itself with women and children, girls and boys alike; 
but if we wish to retain that branch of the business 
rightfully belonging to us, we must be able to give 
at least equally as good service as the barber does. 
We all know that a hair-cut, whether it be a bob 
or any other form or style, on women as well as 
children, is very adorning if well executed, and can 


30 


HAIRCUTTING 


31 


be equally as disfiguring if wrongly done, or done in 
bad taste. Do not for one moment think that the 
art is a simple one, but on the other hand, practice, 
perseverance, adherence to certain principles, and 
above all a study of lines and proportions, together 
with a proper handling of scissors and comb should 
enable anyone with average intelligence, to acquire 
it in a comparatively short time. 


Trimming. —The trimming of the hair, by which ex¬ 
pression is meant to keep an artistic contour, and 
maintain a becoming shape by evening out any ir¬ 
regularities by the use of the scissors, is a service 
that is particularly in demand for children’s hair, and 
for bobbed hair. The long hair of women also requires 
an occasional trimming to keep it from becoming 
straggly and uneven at the ends. There are two 
methods of doing this work—by clubbing the hair, 
and by tapering the hair. The method of clubbing 
the hair which leaves stubby and unmanageable ends, 
should under no circumstances be done on long hair 
that is to be worn dressed into a coiffure, as the ends 
will become a very unpleasant handicap in the execu¬ 
tion of a good coiffure. By the term clubbing is meant 
the cutting of the hair in a sharp line, leaving it with¬ 
out taper. Illustration No. 19 shows the hair clubbed 
(the wrong way of trimming long hair), and the hard 
line caused by a cut of that type; while No. 20 shows 
the same head of hair well tapered. By effilating, 
or tapering the hair, we mean the process of cutting 
the hair so that the various hairs are not all of the 
same length, but are of graduating lengths, inter¬ 
mingling with each other and forming a more artistic 



32 


HAIRCUTTING 


and soft outline, which nevertheless gives the ap¬ 
pearance of a neat, even cut. Two methods are in use 
for this work—only one of which should really be 
applied since the other is injurious to the hairshaft. 
By the wrong method a strand of hair is held be- 



Illus. No. 19 Ulus. No. 20 


tween the lingers while the open scissors are moved 
back and forth over the strand, thereby cutting the 
hairs in various lengths. The disadvantage of this 
method lays in the fact that the hair is not cut smooth 
enough, but often shows a torn and frayed appear¬ 
ance. 

The right method of effilating or tapering the 
hair is as follows: Take a strand of hair near the 
end firmly between the forefinger and middlefinger of 
the left hand, and back-comb the points above the 
fingers with the fine teeth of your comb, and cut off 
the amount desired. The correct way of tapering will 
be illustrated in the following haircut. 










HAIRCUTTING 


33 


In cutting the hair, first consideration must be given 
to the style in which the hair is worn. This is par¬ 
ticularly important in the case of girls who wear 
their hair hanging down their back. Even when trim¬ 
ming the long hair of adults the style of wearing the 
hair should not be disregarded entirely. Where the 
hair is worn down, it will require different handling 
according to the style in which it is worn. A center- 
part, or side-part, or straight-back style, if tied with 
ribbon or held by a slide, comb or barrette, each has 
an influence on the way the hair must be handled 
when trimming it, as otherwise the hair-cut will be 
uneven and ragged. 

Another important matter to determine before 
starting your work is the question of how much to 
cut off the hair. Here of course the customer should 
generally be left to decide how much the hair should 
be shortened; and unless her wishes are very unrea¬ 
sonable, it is best not to force any advice upon her. 


In the following pages you will find a variety of 
hair-cut styles with diagrams and explanations show¬ 
ing how they are executed. Each of these styles, of 
course, can be moderated by little changes so as to 
present a wide variety of hair-cuts. The thickness of 
the hair, if straight, wavy or curly, the age and the 
features and the general facial characteristics of the 
wearer should be considered when cutting the hair. 

The illustrations and accompanying text, however, 
present all the fundamental haircuts which with slight 
modifications should meet every requirement in this 
branch of the art. 




34 


HAIRCUTTING 


Tapering the hair for a side part. —Illustration No. 
21 shows a girl’s head with the hair parted on one 
side. The top section of the hair is held by a slide. 
This hair is to be trimmed, and the shape corrected 
without shortening the hair more than about two 
inches. 



Ulus. No. 21 


After combing and brushing the hair free of any 
snarls, it is parted in exactly the place where 
the part is going to be worn. The top section which 
is held by the slide, is then neatly divided from the 
rest of the hair, taken up, twisted somewhat, and then 




HAIRCUTTING 


35 


pinned out of the way, on the top of the head. Illus¬ 
tration No. 22 should explain this very clearly to you. 
The rest of the hair is now divided by drawing a part 



Illus. No. 22 


straight down from the crown to the center of the 
neck, dropping the two sections over the customer’s 
shoulders. A strand of hair is now divided at the 
neck, held firmly between the middle and forefingers 
of the left hand, back-combed for a few inches, cut, 
and then combed out. Illustration No. 23 clearly 
demonstrates the way this is done. Section after 
section is tapered in this manner, working upward in 
layers. Each succeeding section of hair should be 
held in line with the underlying previously treated 









36 


HAIRCUTTING 


strands, so that it will fall evenly with it when 
trimmed. Illustration No. 24 shows part of the hair 
trimmed in this way. 



The sides are next tapered in the same manner, 
again beginning with the bottom layers of hair and 
working up toward the part or division. When all 
the hair has thus been treated, it is combed and 
brushed over the back and sides so that it falls into 
the natural position in which it is worn. A little more 
tapering wherever needed may be done and finally any 






HAIRCUTTING 


37 



Illus. No. 24 


extending ends are trimmed off, but not so as to leave 
a sharp or hard line. 

The top section is now taken in hand, combed 
smooth and arranged in the way that the - hair is to 
be worn either with the slide or ribbon. Strand after 
strand of this hair is now tapered off in the same 
manner as explained for the rest of the hair, except 
that here, the hair should be loosened and rearranged 
several times, because the positions of the hair have 





38 


HAIRCUTTING 



IIliu. No. 25 


altered somewhat after each rearrangement. The ends 
will appear uneven if exceeding care is not exercised 
and the protruding points clipped in the various posi¬ 
tions. Illustration No. 25 shows the entire haircut 
completed. 

Haircut for a center part— After preparing your 
model’s hair by thoroughly combing and brushing it. 
draw a center part straight across the head from the 
front to the nape of the neck, as shown in illustration 
No. 26. Taper the hair, beginning on the lowest 
section on the back of the head and working upward 
to the crown of the head, in the same manner as pre- 





HAIRCUTTING 


39 



Ulus. No. 26 


viously explained, and as demonstrated in illustra¬ 
tions No. 23 and No. 24. The sides are done last, 
working in layers upward to the part. If the hair 
on the sides is held by a ribbon or slide, the parts 
so held must be kept apart and tapered separately, 
to insure their falling even with the rest of the hair. 
Illustration No. 27 shows a haircut of this type 
completed. 




40 


HAIRCUTTING 



Illus. No. 27 


Trimming the hair worn combed back. — Draw a 

part on each side of the head, of equal distance from 
the center of the head and draw a part across the 
head to join the two parts just made. The piece so 
divided is now pinned out of the way on the front of 
the head. The loose-hanging hair is now tapered 
in the same manner as explained in the previous hair¬ 
cuts. The front portion of the hair is then trimmed 
separately, arranging it first in the position worn 
and rearranging it several times while cutting it, so 




HAIRCUTTING 


41 



Ulus. No. 28 


as to fall even with the previously cut hair when 
finished. Illustration No. 28 shows a straight-back 
haircut properly done. In illustration No. 29 we see 
the same head, but here the hair was cut the wrong 
way. The operator in this instance neglected to divide 




42 


HAIRCUTTING 



Illus. No. 29 


the front hair and arrange the top section before cut¬ 
ting it, simply cutting the hair all of even length; but 
just as soon as the young customer tied up the front 
hair with the ribbon the front hair was found to be 
uneven and straggly as shown in this illustration. 




CHAPTER VII 


BOBBING THE HAIR 


The horizontal clubbed bob. —This haircut, instead of 
having the soft tapered finish toward the ends, is 
clubbed; thereby leaving a sharp and heavy outline. 
This haircut should show a perfectly horizontal line all 
around the head if the latter is held in its natural 
upright position. 

The clubbing of the hair is done by combing and 
brushing the hair smoothly into the position in which 
it is to be worn. If the hair should be very unruly 
it may be moistened a little, and then brushed and 
combed until it will fall neatly and smoothly. Sec¬ 
tions that are held by a barrette, slide, binder or other 
restraining influence must be pinned out of the way 
to be cut separately after the rest of the hair is done. 
After the correct length has been determined, the 
clubbing is begun on the back hair. Comb this hair 
smoothly down and hold it firmly between the teeth 
of the comb at the point where it is to be cut. The 
scissors are now inserted through a thin layer of the 
hair so held, and cut in a perfectly straight line 
while the scissors remain lying flat upon the comb. 
(Study illustration No. 30.) One or two adjoining 


43 


44 


BOBBING 


sections are now cut in the same way, always taking 
care that the head is at its normal upright position 
at all times, to insure the horizontal or straight line 



which we wish to obtain in this haircut. Next cut 
the lower layers in the same way, always holding the 
hair firmly in place with the comb, just in line with 
the previously cut layers. (See illustration No 31. 
In this illustration we show one side clubbed.) 

After the entire hair has been clubbed in this man¬ 
ner, it is once more thoroughly brushed and combed 
and any protruding ends or imperfections which may 
be noticed are now corrected by cutting them off, as 
shown in illustration No. 32. Carefully study the 
position of the scissors and hands in this illustration 












BOBBING 


45 


and notice particularly that the scissors are steadied 
by resting them upon the extended forefinger of the 
left hand. If there are any sections that are held with 



Illus. No. 31 


a slide or ribbon they are now cut. These sections 
are arranged and combed as usually worn, and then 
cut in exactly the same manner as the rest of the 
hair. However, do not cut this hair at once as short 
as it should be, but comb it out and rearrange it 
several times, and each time cut the extending ends; 
this will insure a more even effect. (See illustration 
No. 33 for the finished haircut.) The length of the 
hair, if to be left longer, or if to be cut medium, or 








46 


BOBBING 



Ulus. No. 33 













































































BOBBING 


47 



Ulus. No. 34 

very short, does not effect the method of performing 
this work. (Illustration No. 34 shows the cross sec¬ 
tion of a clubbed bob.) 

The horizontal tapered bob. — This hair-cut differs 
from the preceding one only in that instead of being 
cut clubbed, it is tapered toward the ends. The method 
of tapering was fully explained on page 35. A com¬ 
parison of illustration No. 35 with the illustration 
No. 33 shows the difference between these two hair 
cuts. Both are horizontal cuts and consequently rather 
severe, yet the softer effect caused by the tapering 
of the hair should be very apparent, there being a 
less heavy line around the neck and sides, the hair 
conforming more to the contour of the head and fall¬ 
ing toward the neck and ears. Illustration No. 36 
shows a cross section of the tapered bob, which again 






Illus. No. 36 












BOBBING 


49 


illustrates the difference between the two cuts upon 
comparison with figure 34. 

The oval clubbed bob. —In illustration No. 37 we 
have a clubbed hair-cut; here however, instead of 
clubbing the hair in a horizontal line, a nicely rounded or 
oval shape is given to the hair-cut, which takes away 
the severe look of the horizontal clubbed bob. With the 
exception of giving this rounded shape to the hair¬ 
cut, it is executed in precisely the same manner as 
the horizontal clubbed bob. 



The oval tapered bob. —This is probably the soft¬ 
est and most desired of the bobs. The hair is well 
tapered on the sides as well as the back, and on 
account of being cut into an oval or rounded shape 
it somehow conforms with the contour of the head. 









50 


BOBBING 



Ulus. No. 38 


After tapering the hair thoroughly, it should be 
combed and brushed; then any heaviness should be 
taken out by more tapering wherever required, and 
finally any extending ends should be trimmed off, 
without giving a hard or sharp line. 

The shingle bob. —-Illustration No. 39 shows the 
shingle bob, also known as the pineapple hair-cut. 
It is a very short bob, giving a very round shape to 
the head, resembling in a way a man’s hair-cut. The 
front hair is generally no longer than six to eight 
inches, the back hair lying in layers of graduating 
lengths beneath it much in the manner as shingles on 
a roof. 

This hair-cut is executed by taking the hair up in 
layers beginning on the top of the head and working 








BOBBING 51 




Ulus. No. 40 

around it and down to the sides and neck. The first 
layer is tapered till it is about six to eight inches long. 









52 


BOBBING 


A thin layer beneath this is then taken up and tapered 
so that it falls with its points just below the points 
of the first layer. In this manner the entire hair is 
tapered layer after layer, so that all over the head 
we see the cut ends of the hair exposed. The cross 
section shown in illustration No. 40 shows how the 
sections are taken up and tapered. 



Illus. No. 41 


The slanted bob. —This bob is most suited for 
heavy and thick hair, or to give the appearance of 
thickness to the hair. It is also particularly desirable 
for wavy or fluffy hair, where it produces the effect of 
a very liberal head of hair. It puffs out and up on the 
sides and back, and requires little attention with the 
exception of combing it upward. It is clubbed in a 
similar manner as other clubbed bobs. The slanted 
heavy outline is produced by cutting the outer layer 



_ BOBBING _53 

of the hair a little higher than the hair-line at the 
neck. The succeeding layers are then cut, one after 
another, so as to produce the slanted effect towards 



Illus. No. 42 


the neck. Illustration No. 41 clearly shows the slant 
to which the hair is cut, while figure 42 shows the 
finished haircut. 


















CHAPTER VIII 


CUTTING BANGS AND FRINGES 

A bang or fringe, in order to give the desired 
softening effect to the features of a customer, should 
always be nicely tapered at the ends. A clubbed 
fringe, or bang, while quite suitable for children, al¬ 
ways gives too hard and severe a line for women, 



Illus. No. 43 


particularly if it is worn straight. It also will not 
curl and dress as softly and easily as a tapered fringe. 
The length of the fringe or bang as well as the shape, 
whether oval, straight, or round will depend to an 


54 


CUTTING BANGS AND FRINGES 


55 


extent on the preference of the customer. If it is to 
be worn curled it should always be left a little longer 
than if worn straight, as the curling of the hair natur- 



111 us. No. 44 


ally will take up some of the length. The thickness 
of the bang or fringe should be carefully judged. Only 
a thin section should be cut off at a time until the 
desired heaviness is reached. When cutting bangs or 
fringes a neat part should divide the longer hair from 
the cut hair; this will preserve a better line for the 
longer hair, particularly if dressed backward, than 
if the hair was cut in a V shape or in any other 
irregular way. Illustration No. 43 shows a bang 
properly divided and tapered, and illustration No. 44 
pictures the way in which a small fringe and the hair 
for side locks or curls should be divided and cut. 




CHAPTER IX 


CHILDREN’S HAIRCUTTING 

Haircutting for infants. — Mothers take a special 
pride in baby’s first haircut, and are very appreciative 
of the conscientious and careful performance of this 
work. Tact in handling the little tots is essential 
if you want them to sit quietly for you. The child 
should be made to feel friendly toward you, and should 
be interested in some toys. Special children’s Ihair- 
cutting chairs, giving the appearance of rocking 
horses, toy automobiles, and other such devices are 
very useful in keeping the youngsters pacified while 
under your shears, and will be an inducement for 
their more willing return to you. On the other hand, 
if you are not able to cultivate their friendship, they 
will voice the strongest protests against any attempts 
made to bring them back to your shop. The child’s 
haircutting chair should have a low back and should 
be so that it can be rotated, because the spontaneous 
movements of the head will necessitate a frequent 
change of the position of your hands and instruments. 
The entire work will have to be pieced together, 
and yet the haircut must be correct. The operator 
should sit on a swirl stool, arranging the height of 
this stool so that the eyes will be about on a line 
with the head of the child. This gives a far better 
vision than the ungraceful position that by necessity 
would have to be taken if the operator was standing up. 


56 


CHILDREN’S HAIRCUTTING 


57 


Haircutting to preserve the curliness. — A great 
many little curly heads lose their curls very much 
too early to please the vanity of their mothers. A great 
deal of this is without doubt due to the wrong 
method of cutting the hair. Children’s hair curls 
largely because of its extreme fineness, particularly 
at the points. If, however, we cut these points off by 
clubbing the hair repeatedly, the curliness will soon 
disappear. To preserve curliness the cutting of the 
hair must be done as follows: 



Comb the hair into the position in which it is to be 
worn. Then inquire as to the style and the amount 
to be cut off. This determined, begin the operation 
by starting on the back, then the sides and next the 
top of the head. Small sections of the hair are divided 
into flat strands and held at the points between the 
forefinger and middle finger of the left hand. The 
strand so held is then back-combed lightly, thereby 
pushing back all the other hair not so held toward the 
scalp. The hair held between the fingers is then cut 







58 


CHILDREN’S HAIRCUTTING 


near the scalp, and the amount to be held between 
the fingers, will of course depend upon how much of 
the hair is to be cut. The entire process is very similar 
to the method of effiliating or tapering the hair as 
explained and illustrated for trimming and tapering. 
Study illustration No. 45. Here the cutting is in 
progress; one side and the back being completed, 
showing the difference between the cut and uncut 
portion of the hair. 



Illus. No. 46 Illus. No. 47 


Buster Brown haircut. —Illustrations No. 46 and 4 7 
show the Buster Brown haircut. This is probably 
the most popular haircut for boys from the age of 
2 to 6. It may either be clubbed or tapered, and may 
be cut vertical or oval. The work is done in a manner 
similar to that described for the bobs. The operation 
should begin at the center of the neck, taking care not 
to cut the hair shorter than the hairline at the neck. 









CHILDREN’S HAIRCUTTING 


59 


If done correctly the cut will run around the head 
just on line with the ear, covering the latter entirely, 
or exposing the little tip or lobe of the ear. The 
bangs are generally heavy, beginning on the crown of 
the head. Illustration No. 49 shows how the front 
hair is divided in a triangular shape from the side and 
back hair. 

A very short bob for boys. —Illustration No. 48 pic¬ 
tures the young boy’s haircut, which enjoys such 
popularity in this country.. The excuse for this ex¬ 



tremely short and far from artistic style is perhaps 
to free the neck and ears from hair for more comfort 
during the summer. The hair is clubbed vertically 
around the head just above the ears, with a short 














60 


CHILDREN’S HAIRCUTTING 


fringe of the type as shown in illustration No. 49. 
The portion of the hair on the neck and back of the 
head must of course be cut short with a haircutting 
clipper No. 000, up to the line of the longer hair, and 
must be kept short by frequent use of the clippers, 
otherwise the neck and back of the head will appear 
unclean and untidy. 



Haircut with side bangs for young girls. — This is a 

style of cutting the hair which, while quite a bit severe, 
gives a very elegant appearance, particularly to a face 
with small features where the hair is wavy or is of 









CHILDREN’S HAIRCUTTING 


61 


the kind that is soft and pliable. It is not advisable 
on coarser hair. 

A part is drawn on each side from the temple to 
a point a little behind the ear. The so divided hair 
should then be combed downward to fall over the 
face and ear. Here it is cut on a little slant, by taper¬ 
ing it softly toward the points. In order to look its 
best the hair should be trained to fall in a curve en¬ 
circling the eye. The top hair is divided by drawing 
a part from ear to ear. This section of the hair and 
the back hair should be softly tapered toward the 
ends. Illustration No. 50 shows this haircut properly 
executed and the diagram or illustration No. 51 shows 
the way in which the hair should be divided. 

Girl's center part. —The haircut pictured in illustra¬ 
tion No. 52 is particularly suited for girls from 3 to 6 
years of age with curly hair. The hair is parted in 



the center and tapered to fall below the ears. The 
small bang is then divided and cut as shown in illus- 
















62 


CHILDREN'S HAIRCUTTING 



Illus. No. 54 


tration No. 53. If the hair is straight the ends should 
be kept curled in order to look well. 

Boy’s military haircut. —This haircut should be 
quite short on the neck and around the ears, gradu¬ 
ally getting longer toward the top of the head. Be¬ 
ginning at the neck the hair is cut over the comb as 
shown in illustration 54. The comb is moved up¬ 
wards through the hair holding the comb close to the 



Illus. No. 55 










CHILDREN’S HAIRCUTTING 


63 


scalp at the neck, and gradually further away from 
the scalp while combing upward. At the same time 
the scissors follow the comb and with rapid strokes 
cut off the ends protruding between the teeth of the 
comb. This will have to be repeated a number of 
times over each portion of hair until the desired 
length is obtained and it appears neat and without 
steps or hollows. Section after section is thus 
treated all around the back toward the crown of the 



head. The side hair is next cut in the same manner. 
When cutting the hair around the ear the latter is 
held lightly down with the finger of the right hand 



64 


CHILDREN’S HAIRCUTTING 


while taking up the hair with the comb as shown in 
illustration No. 55. A straight line is cut on the 
hair edge on the side, around and behind the ears, 
and last the front hair is combed up, held between 
fore and middle finger of the left hand, and cut to 
'he desired length. This is done to the entire front 



Illus. No. 57 


hair beginning near the forehead and working back¬ 
ward to the crown of the head on both sides as shown 
in illustration No. 56. Illustration No. 57 shows this 
type of a haircut completed. 




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